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Expand Your Reach: How to Use Niche Markets to Sell More (and Work Less) By Steenie Harvey AWAIs Ultimate Travel Writers Workshop Denver, CO July 2009 Please turn off your cell phone. Thanks! Slide 2 niche publications What is a travel magazine? Look at niche publications Slide 3 Slide 4 NICHE MARKETS Traveling with kids.... travel for seniors.... golf... scuba diving... skiing... antiques... wildlife... archaeology... gay travel... history.... folklore... skydiving... cycling business travel religious travel (pilgrimages) the outdoorsgreen travelfood and wine travel Slide 5 Texas Parks & Wildlife www.tpwmagazine.com Primo Picnic Spots: scenic sites for every month of the year Haiku Hikes State parks and destinations (New Braunfels brims with water fun, rich history, scenic caves and tasty German sausage) Legend, Lore and Legacy section PAYS: $0.50 per word Slide 6 Old Rip (Texas Parks & Wildlife) The legend of Old Rip, Eastland County's famous horned lizard, spurs a lot of questions. Can a horny toad really hibernate for 31 years? Was the lizard presented to crowds when the courthouse cornerstone was opened in 1928 the same one that had been deposited there in 1897? Did Old Rip, by his own fame, cause the downfall of his own kind? The story is hard to prove, yet difficult to disprove. People either believe or not. Still, 80 years after his coming-out party, Old Rip draws tourists to view him in a velvet-lined coffin, lying in state at the Eastland County courthouse. Slide 7 Exercise: Match the publication to the story. What was published where? Slide 8 AARP Magazine (American Ass. of Retired Persons) Adventure Cyclist American Heritage American Style Christian Science Monitor Diversion (Medical Meetings, Travel, for health professionals) Doctors Review Family Fun Highlights for Children Knitty Magazine (for knitters) Military Officer Native Peoples Slide 9 1. Blue Ridge Bliss Sounds like typical marketing hooey, doesnt it? But picture this first, two gorgeous national parks of high mountains, deep leafy forests, and short hiking trails to misty glens that will have you thinking of that Daniel DayLewis/Madeline Stowe movie The Last of the Mohicans (minus the bloody battle scenes). Slide 10 2. Rustic Retreats If youve ever stayed in fancy five-star hotels with pool butlers, pillow menus, thousand- count linens and staff who offer to polish your shoes and unpack your suitcase, you know how expensive they can be. Its a little silly, isnt it? If youre like me, youre looking for back-to-basics vacations, where the scenery and setting are the point, not getting pampered or pretending to be posh. Slide 11 3. Exploring Macchu Pichu, Lost City of the Incas From a cliff high in the Peruvian Andes, I stared down at the ruins of Machu Picchu, the mysterious lost city of the Incas. I had traveled far to South America to uncover the city's history, but soon discovered that would be impossible. My guide, Jaime Vasquez, whose ancestors were Incas, and I walked down to the ruins on a wide stone path called the Inca Trail. From the trail we could see how the city sits on a narrow ridge between two mountaintops, 8,500 feet above sea level. Slide 12 4. Arts Tour: Bainbridge and Vashon Islands Impressions of Seattle typically include mountains encircling the city like a necklace, Mount Rainier its brightest jewel. But tucked away in the waters of Puget Sound, a string of islands adds another dimension. The fashion here may be more fleece jackets than Aloha shirts, but the island mystique is as strong as in any tropical clime. Slide 13 5. A Walk Around Iceland They call it the land of fire and ice, and with its massive glaciers and steaming volcanic fields, Iceland has certainly earned the moniker. But as my teenage son Edward, my fiance Phil and I discovered on a summer bus and walking tour of Iceland, that's just the tip of the iceberg (or the bottom of the volcanic crevice) on an island whose eerily breathtaking landscapes are equaled only by its gasp-producing geological wonders. Slide 14 6. Living in a Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy As the harmonica player winds down his solo, Mark Farner, the former leader of Grand Funk Railroad, gives me "the nod"that magical moment when a bandleader hands you the reins. I open up the volume on my Telecaster, the Marshall amp roars to life, and I step up to rock. I start playing like a drowning man reaching for a life preserver, far better than I am usually capable of. When I emerge from my haze, Im stunned to see Farner grinning his approval. As I unplug my guitar cable afterward, the legend shakes my hand and says, "Nice riffs, man!" Slide 15 7. A Tennessee Inn with a Life-and-Death Past Traveling through the beautiful Cumberland Mountains in northeastern Tennessee, we took the Caryville exit off I-75 to look for lodging. We discovered an inn that defines hospitalityand contains an intriguing memento of a very dark moment in its owners past. Following the signs, we ascended a steep driveway beside an eclectic display of lawn sculptures and vintage farm equipment that once belonged to Alex Haley, the author of Roots. Slide 16 8. Turkish Delight Last March, I took a spur-of-the-moment solo trip to Turkey. I spent several days in Istanbul, taking in the Byzantine, Ottoman, and east- meets-west sights and culture there. But four days of the bustling big city was enough for me, so I set out for three smaller cities scattered about the rural western half of the country for the rest of my trip. Slide 17 9. Thailands Gentle Giants Id only been at Thailands Patara Elephant Farm, a half-hour drive from the northwestern city of Chiang Mai, for 15 minutes and already Id learned more than I bargained for about elephant health. I was down on my knees in the long grass holding an elephant turd the size of a bowling ball in my hands when Pat Trungprkan yelled, Open it! Slide 18 10. Lets Powwow The Native American dancers were tucking and striding, creating a colorful swirl of feathers, fringe and beadwork. Among them were my two boys, Joey and John, ages seven and eight, respectively, sharing in the opening intertribal dance at the Spokane Falls Northwest Indian Encampment and Powwow held in Spokane, Washington's Riverfront Park. Even though they were dressed in T-shirts and jeans, they--like all guests in attendance--were invited to join in the dance and experience the warm outpouring of community spirit. Slide 19 11. Searching for the Promised Land While cycling in Wyoming in 2001, I bumped into the Nez Perce Historical Trail northwest of Cody, Wyoming on the harshly named Dead Indian Pass. I hopped off of my bicycle and read a historical marker briefly describing the 1877 flight of the Nez Perce Indians, who were being hotly pursued by the U.S. Army. I made a mental sticky note to further investigate this bit of history. Wow! What an epic tale it was! The story had all the makings of a classic: murder, revenge, broken treaties, deceit, short skirmishes, full-blown battles, and an eloquent spiritual leader named Chief Joseph. Included in all of this action was a cast of thousands. Slide 20 12. Desperately Seeking Austen There are worse things than being lost in the English countryside on a fine spring day. We were hunting for Steventon, a destination of the dot- on-a-map variety, but on this late April afternoon it eluded us. With no one but fields of sheep to ask for directions, we took several wrong turns through woods bright with bluebells before finally pulling up in front of a pretty country church. My heart beat a little faster as I climbed out of the car. I had come to England on a mission, to learn more about Jane Austens life and books by visiting the places where she lived and wrote. Slide 21 How did you do? AARP (Rock Fantasy Camp) Adventure Cyclist (Blue Ridge Bliss) American Heritage (Tennessee Inn) American Style (Arts Tour, Bainbridge and Vashon islands) Christian Science Monitor (Desperately Seeking Austen) Diversion (A Walk Around Iceland) Doctors Review (Thailands Gentle Giants) Family Fun (Lets Powwow) Highlights for Children (Exploring Macchu Picchu) Knitty Magazine (Turkish Delight) Military Officer (Rustic Retreats) Native Peoples (Searching for the Promised Land) Slide 22 What do they pay? AARP: $1 per word Adventure Cyclist: $.30 to $.40/word American Style: $500-800 per article Christian Science Monitor: average $200-$225 Diversion: up to $1,000 for features Family Fun: $1.25/word features; $100 for 100-125 word snippets Highlights for children: $150 and up Knitty Magazine: $75-$100 per feature Military Officer: up to $1,800/feature. Native Peoples: $0.25 per word Slide 23 Write about what you know...and enjoy doing Slide 24 Say it is knitting/textile crafts..... Fiber Arts trails in the US Specialist shops Artisan profiles Textile museums and galleries Craft courses (anyone for a Stitch & Bitch weekend in Maine?) and fairs Manos del Uruguay -handspun, kettle-dyed wool by rural women artisans Knitters of Peru, Irelands Aran islands, the Shetland Isles Textile markets in India, SE Asia, Latin America African bead markets Slide 25 Interweave Knits: We are interested in articles on a broad range of topics including technical pieces; profiles of inspiring knitwear designers and people who raise animals and plants for fiber; and features about regions of the world where knitting has played or continues to play an important role. Pays $100/page www.interweaveknits.com Bead & Button: Writers are invited to submit proposals for stories about accomplished beadmakers and jewelry artists as well as trends and other information that appeals to our readers. www.beadandbutton.com Pays $150-$400 for non-project features of 1,000 words Slide 26 Sunset www.sunset.com Covers arts/shopping in the western U.S. Sample article: Get crafty in Portlands fiber arts district. Pay, not specified, but rumor says front-of-the book shorts start at $250. American Style www.americanstyle.com Regularly features art and craft trails, art towns, craft and textile features. $500-800/feature Fiberarts Magazine www.fiberarts.com Includes travel and tradition features. (Painting the Quilt Barn TrailPapermaking in Bhutan Coney Island Mermaid Parade) $70-$550 Native Peoples Magazine www.nativepeoples.com Seeks stories reflecting Native life throughout the Americas, from the Arctic Circle to the southern tip of Chile. Pays $0.25 per word. Slide 27 A crafty trick for finding new freelance markets.... Search where else the author has been published Slide 28 Land of the Rings (NZ), Doctors Review by Sally McKinney Arizona Daily Star, Arizona Republic, Asia Pacific Travel, The Australian, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Business Traveller, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Doctor's Review, Detroit News, Denver Post, Far East Traveler, The Globe and Mail, Grand Rapids Press, Hoosier Times, Houston Chronicle, Indianapolis Star, Lake Michigan Travel Guide, London Free Press, Los Angeles Times, New Orleans Times- Picayune, New Zealand Herald, Pacific Way (New Zealand), Portland Oregonian, San Diego Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, Silkwind (Singapore), South Bend Tribune, South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), Straits Times (Singapore), USA Today, Vancouver Sun Slide 29 Use your insider know-how to write for foreign markets...and resell your stories The UK... Australia...New Zealand, etc Slide 30 First British/Australasian/Wherever Serial Rights Even if youve sold First North American Serial Rights, you can sell the very same story to other English-speaking countries before or at the same time it appears in North America. I sold FNASR to Horse Illustrated for a story about the Great Fair of Ballinasloe---an Irish horse-fair. With a few spelling tweaks, I then sold this same story to the travel section of the UKs Independent newspaper and also The Age, a Melbourne-based Australian newspaper. Slide 31 Wanderlust is looking for travel articles about a specific destination a country, city or region or an activity e.g. horseriding in Chile, walking in Morocco, etc. Articles should be written in first person, past tense, and be between 1,800 - 2,200 words. Payment 220 ($350) per 1000 words. Slide 32 Kansas City: My kind of town (Daily Telegraph, UK) The heart of the American Midwest is a saucy town for all the right reasons You know the old saying Its a wonderful place to visit, but I wouldnt want to live there. With Kansas City, its the opposite. Its a wonderful place to live, but I wouldnt want just to visit. Ive lived in Kansas City for 20 years. I love it here and dont care to live anywhere else. We have no mountains, no beaches, and not much else in the way of natural, or even man-made amenities. Except for one thing: barbecue. Its the Barbecue Capital of the World. Slide 33 Splashdown in the City (The Age,Australia) The writer T.S. Eliot declared April the cruellest month but in New York City it's August. The fetid summer heat builds to a sticky crescendo and the city becomes one giant, roaring air-conditioner. It's easy to escape the humidity by staying indoors but there comes a time, for many Australians at least, when the urge to swim kicks in. While the city that never sleeps hums with activities, finding a good spot to take a dip is a challenge - swimming isn't the first sport of New Yorkers. However, when the temperature soars, it's possible to get wet and even do a few laps..... Slide 34 Secret Lives of Famous Cities (The Age,Australia) Too often travellers going to a big city for the first time, or even for a second or third, don't get as much out of their visit as they could. A traditional city tour can help visitors get the lie of the land. But there are lots of unusual tours that can take you deeper into the city's psyche, providing insider glimpses that escape even many residents. Here's a sample: Boston's PhotoWalks not only provide commentary but photographic tips for composing artistic pictures along the way. Four tours cover Beacon Hill, Footsteps to Freedom, Postcards of Boston and the Waterfront. Adults $US25, children 12-17 $US12. For details phone + 617 851 2273, see http://www.photowalks.com. Slide 35 LA's cemetery to the stars - and a cinema too (Times, UK) There are few more democratic places in which to reside than 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles. As long as you have the money, plenty of it, you're welcome these days, regardless of race or creed. Swaying palm trees, manicured lawns, lakes and views of the Hollywood Hills don't come cheap. Which is odd, really, because behind the high metal gates, next to the Paramount movie studios lot, long-term inhabitants on this patch of prime real estate don't get to enjoy the vistas or the spring breeze blowing in from the Pacific. Being dead in Southern California is a real bummer, man. Slide 36 Never be shy about wallowing in misery--- Brits and the colonials adore bad news travel stories Slide 37 Excerpt from Turkey: Bad toilets...crappy country The New Zealand Herald This should have been a mythical, magical, biblical place. The staff were so pleased to see us. They had laid the tables with platters of unspeakably awful, fatty, rancid knobs of what might have been mutton and bits of rock hard bread which we couldn't choke down. But they could have served a three-star Michelin meal and we would have found it hard to choke down. We had already seen the man with the broom at his gruesome, never-ending, toilet task which seemed more some Job-like punishment than a job. And we wanted to go to the loo. But not that loo. On the way to Mt Ararat we stopped at a hotel where we were told we could use the loos in the rooms. Nobody had told the couple hard at it on a sagging bed. So I don't know what that loo was like... Slide 38 Where to get started on your foreign travels A good start for Britain, Ireland, and Commonwealth countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa is The Writers & Artists Yearbook. Currently available through www.amazon.com for $16.47, it carries contacts and abbreviated guidelines for many major publications. The UK probably has the most opportunities for freelance writers. Not all take travel stories, but numerous publications ---newspapers and magazines - --- with contacts and website links are listed on www.mediauk.com Slide 39 COPYRIGHT 2009 BY AMERICAN WRITERS & ARTISTS INC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Published by: American Writers & Artists Inc. 245 NE 4th Avenue, Suite 102 Delray Beach, FL 33483